Often, making quilts can involve tedious tasks such as cutting multiple pieces of fabric to be used in a quilt. Many times, these multiple pieces of fabric must be equal sizes to create patterns in the quilt. One such pattern involves making picot or prairie points, which are often used in borders. Picot borders are overlapping triangles on the edges of sewn items such as quilts, baby blankets, clothing, etc. Picots are usually evenly spaced along an edge of a quilt or blanket such that the edge has a saw-tooth effect.
As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, to make traditional picots 10, the edge 22 of the project 20 to be covered with picots 10 is measured and the number of picots 10 needed is determined based on the amount of overlap of the picots desired, the desired size of picots, and the linear measurement of the edges 22 to be decorated with picots. One square 10 is then cut out of fabric for each picot 10 needed. Each of the squares must be the same size and be square, such that all four sides have the same measurement. Measuring, marking, and cutting each picot square 10 using a traditional ruler, marking tool and cutter, such as a rotary cutter or scissors, is time consuming and difficult due to the repetition and precision required.
Each square 10 is then folded in half to create a triangle (FIG. 1A), and then folded in half again to form a smaller triangle (FIG. 1B). After folding, each of the cut edges of the fabric square are together on one edge of the triangle. The triangle 10 is then stitched 12 or glued at the cut edges to hold the triangle 10 in place, making a picot 10. Alternatively, the picot 10 may be pinned or taped to hold the triangular shape.
The steps are repeated for each of the needed picots 10 in the project 20. The picots 10 are then lined up along the edge 22 of the project 20 to be decorated with picots 10 and sewn into place (FIG. 1D). Precise placement of the picots 10 is necessary to achieve an evenly spaced and aligned picot border. Each step in creating a picot border is time consuming and requires precision to ensure a desirable outcome. Because of the time consuming nature and requirement of a highly skilled person to create the picot border, quilts, blankets, and other projects with picot borders are highly desirable. Similarly, people desiring to make a project with a picot border do not undertake the project lightly due to the time and skill required.